forty minutes too late
by gracecavendish
Summary: based on the prompt Sci-Ops days. Jemma gets stood up by her boyfriend on Valentine's Day. Fitz is there to comfort her from meowl-mittens on tumblr :)


It wasn't that Fitz disliked Henry per se, it was more he didn't particularly know him. Not that he ever really spoke to him that much. Whenever Jemma would have him over in their shared apartment Fitz would always make some excuse to duck off to his room and avoid interaction with the man all together.

Both Simmons and himself had dated before, even brought the person over to meet the other, but most never went anywhere.

Henry was different.

It had been exactly three months, two weeks and four days since Jemma had introduced him as her boyfriend (not that Fitz was counting) and as the days went on Fitz felt more and more unsettled. So it would be understandable that on Valentines Day Fitz couldn't exactly share in Jemma's excitement about her date with Henry that night.

At all.

"So what time are you leaving?"

"7 Fitz, I said that before, weren't you paying attention?" Jemma responded from the bathroom. Fitz leant back on the living room couch and tried to decide how he was going to occupy his time from when she leaves until when she gets back. He realised awhile back he could never fully relax when Simmons went out with someone so it was merely a task of finding how to spend his time whilst he anxiously waited for her return. Tonight he was thinking a film, one that he knew he wouldn't actually be able to concentrate on.

The clock showed Jemma was expected to leave in ten minutes as she dashed out of the bathroom to grab her wallet off the living room table. She looked…nice, to say the least. Her blue dress accented her waist and figure but still seemed like something she would wear. Fitz consciously made an effort to tear his eyes away as she stood before him.

"Remember, I probably won't be back until later so don't wait up for me. Also there's left-over Chinese food from last night in the fridge if you want-"

"Jemma you don't have to mother me, I can take care of myself thank you very much." Simmons nodded, making her way over to the door. She offered him a smile,

"See you later."

"Have a nice time," Fitz said as she disappeared from sight. He exhaled heavily and placed his elbows on his knees. He was in for a long wait.

It turns out he wasn't really. Just under an hour later a knock interrupted the film he was only partly paying attention to. When he opened the door a teary eyed Jemma was standing before him.

"Sorry, I uh forgot my keys, otherwise I wouldn't have disrupted you." Fitz brow furrowed as he pulled her inside, shutting the door behind her.

"Jem what are you doing back so early? Did something happen?" She allowed him to place her on the couch, she sat quietly for a moment, staring at her hands before she gave a response.

"He stood me up." She murmured, embarrassed that her evening had ended in nothing but humiliation.

"He what? But, why would he do that? I thought you two were pretty serious." Jemma shook her head,

"I think part of me knew that something was wrong, but of _all _days." She stopped talking to place her head in her hands, breathing heavily and trying not to cry.

"So he just didn't show up?" Fitz asked, Simmons sighed,

"I waited for fourty minutes and called him so many times but he never answered. Eventually he just sent a text saying 'can't make it, sorry'. I'm such an idiot."

Fitz tentatively placed his hand on her back as she allowed herself to shed a few tears.  
"He's the idiot Jemma, not you. Any guy would be stupid to give you up." She raised her head to meet his eyes.

"Really?"  
Fitz gave her a small smile and nodded.

"Of course, there's nobody as brilliant, or kind, or as pretty." He shut himself up at that last part, _too far Fitz, cut that train of thought. _Simmons didn't seem to notice his sudden tension,

"Thank you Leo, sorry for ruining your night." Fitz rolled his eyes at that.

"I don't think watching a film by myself counts as much to ruin." A small laugh escaped Simmons before she kicked off her shoes and leant against him.

"Well, maybe you can have company?" She asked shyly, he nodded and placed his arm gently behind her shoulders.

"Sounds great."

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thanks for reading :) please review!


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